The invention relates to a mount for a movable sensor on a support structure, which sensor is alignable with a target. These sensors, by way of example, can be radar sensors, camera sensors, or transmitters and/or receivers of electromagnetic radiation in general.
The term “sensor” for an alignable functional element within the context of this invention is thus not limited to receiving devices, but can also include transmitting devices or combined transmitting/receiving devices for electromagnetic radiation.
In order to be able to align these sensors with a target, the sensor requires a movable mount. Particularly in cases where the support structure itself is also movable—for example, as a component on an aircraft, spacecraft, watercraft, or land vehicle—this mount must be capable of tracking so as to remain aligned with the target. This is also true whenever the target is moving.
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide a mount for a movable sensor on a support structure, which sensor is alignable with a target, wherein the mount is of a compact design, enables fast alignment of the sensor with the target, and furthermore allows for fast tracking by the sensor in the case of a moving target and/or a moving support structure.
The mount is equipped with at least two mutually spaced sensor-based bearings, at least two mutually spaced support-structure-based bearings, at least two longitudinally adjustable actuator units, wherein each of the actuator units is provided between an associated sensor-based bearing and an associated support-structure-based bearing, and a center bearing that is designed to support the sensor pivotably on the support structure about a kinematic pivot center and at least two spatial axes.
A sensor mount of this type features a very light and compact constructive design. Its kinematics allows for optimal tracking by the sensor (e.g., a radar antenna) within a very restricted space, such as, for example, the nose of an aircraft. The pivotability about at least two spatial axes, which are preferably perpendicular to each other, allows the sensor to be pivoted about the respective spatial axis in each direction within the pivot range defined by the corresponding design. Tracking by the sensor can also be effected continuously in each of these directions. This center bearing, which by way of example can be in the form of a universal joint, ensures the pivotability of the sensor, while the actuator units enable the pivot motion about the two spatial axes, which actuator units can be composed, for example, of longitudinally adjustable guide rods or struts and can include a servo drive.
A control device is preferably provided to control the respective servo drives of the actuator units, which device controls the longitudinal adjustment of each actuator unit and thus controls the pivot motion of the sensor. Kinematics of this type enables continuous sensor tracking in all directions in a light and compact constructive design while providing the optimum application of force and low masses to be rotated. The kinematics of the mount according to the invention thus allows the sensor—for example, a radar antenna—to track continuously within the pivot range defined by the design even where the coordinates of the target are changing continuously and a support structure is moving, such as, for example, a flying aircraft, or a ship or land vehicle when underway.
In accordance with exemplary embodiments of the present invention at least three mutually spaced sensor-based bearings are provided, at least three mutually spaced support-structure-based bearings are provided, that at least three longitudinally adjustable actuator units are provided, wherein each of the actuator units is provided between an associated sensor-based bearing and an associated support-structure-based bearing, and that the center bearing is designed to support the sensor pivotably on the support structure about a kinematic pivot center on three spatial axes.
This configuration of the mount additionally allows the sensor to be pivoted relative to the support structure about the third spatial axis. As a result, it is possible not only to have a sensor, which is in the form of a radar antenna or includes a radar antenna, to track, but also to always keep the polarization plane of the antenna constantly aligned relative to the target. This obviously also applies to other types of sensors that are preferably intended to be kept in constant alignment with the target—an aspect that also applies, for example, to imaging sensors within the wavelength range of visible light or in another wavelength range.
If, for example, this type of mount is employed in an aircraft, this advantageous development enables motions of the aircraft to be compensated on the pitch axis, (lateral axis) and yaw axis (vertical axis), as well as motions of the aircraft on the roll axis (longitudinal axis). The motions of the sensor target can also be compensated accordingly.
The sensor-based bearings preferably each include a kinematic center point about which the respective bearing allows a pivot motion on three spatial axes. To this end, the sensor-based bearings are preferably in the form of a spherical-joint-type bearings.
In another preferred embodiment, the kinematic center points of the sensor-based bearings are located on a common plane.
It is also advantageous for the support-structure-based bearings to each have a kinematic center point about which the respective bearing allows a pivot motion on three spatial axes. Here too, the support-structure-based bearings are preferably in the form of spherical-joint-type bearings.
The kinematic bearing center points of the support-structure-based bearings are preferably located in a common plane.
It is furthermore advantageous for the kinematic pivot center point of the center bearing to be located in the plane of the kinematic bearing center points of the sensor-based bearings or in the plane of the kinematic bearing center points of the support-structure-based bearings.
The sensor advantageously includes a transmitting and/or receiving antenna. In an especially preferred embodiment of the invention, the sensor is in the form of a radar sensor and includes, for example, a radar antenna. However, the invention is not limited to a radar sensor. Instead, the mount according to the invention is also applicable to other sensors such as, for example, imaging sensors or other types of antennas, or also, for example, an echo sounding apparatus. The invention is not limited here to the case in which the sensor includes or constitutes a receiver or an antenna thereof. The sensor instead is an alignable functional element that within the definition of the term “sensor” in this application can be composed device or an antenna thereof, or can include this antenna, or can constitute a combination of transmitting and receiving device or antennas relating thereto. Also understood as a transmitting device within this meaning is, for example, an energy-beam-emitter (for example, a laser-beam emitter) of a directed-energy weapon.
Preferred embodiments of the invention are described and explained in more detail below, including additional design details and further advantages, with reference to the attached drawings.